Afternoon Run

sixteen; ❝unexpected visits❞

"They're great! Don't worry! I loved them!" I exclaim through the phone the next day.

My meeting with Jesenia's parents had been the only positive highlight yesterday. Everything else was generally miserable, since my father's gross words still linger around in my head.

"I'm so happy you think that."

I'm about to say something more when my mom yells, "Adelina! ¡Tu hermano está aquí!" (Your brother is here.)

Those are words that I never thought I would hear.

My brother isn't really my brother anymore. Ever since the divorce, he had ended our relationship when he had decided to go live with my father. Like my father, he had taken in a role of absence and coldness.

We've barely seen each other, and when we do, we rarely speak. It's just how it is, and it's the path that he chose.

"Michael?" I ask out loud to myself in disbelief.

"Who's Michael?" Jesenia questions right away.

"He's... he's my brother."

And I'm so overcome with shock that I don't even bother listening to her confused response before I hang up.

I never bothered mentioning Michael to her, simply because of his absence. I didn't necessarily consider him to be family, and it's not my fault. My only real family consisted of my mom and I.

"Was that the girl that dad has been spitting about for the past few days?" A deep voice asks.

And that causes me to look up.

I flinch when I realize that Michael is standing right in front of me, with a sense of curiosity and annoyance spread across his face.

He's much taller than I remember, and I can tell he's grown up a lot.

My mind wanders back to the memories of a 12 year old boy, but instead I'm forced to look at a man. Now, he's an adult without his boy-ish grin and toothy smile.

He's more serious now.

His physical features are deepened, which makes his permanent frown appear much more visible. Of course, I still catch some of my own features in him, finding that we still have the same shade of dark brown hair and wide eyes.

It's incredibly strange to see him after all these years.

I'm about to lie in response to his question when he says, "don't bother lying. That look on your face already tells the truth."

I wonder if he's homophobic like my father.

"What do you want?"

"I was sent by dad to talk some sense into you, and so here I am. Aren't you happy to see me?"

I don't quite know if that's a real question or not.

"Happy to see you? You haven't talked to me for the past six years since you went to live with him."

His absence had hurt me at first, but not anymore.

I'm far past that, and I've moved on. I always make peace with what I'm given, and I was able to make peace with the fact that he was gone.

"He told me it was better not to. If it makes you feel better, I wanted to talk to you. I really did. It's hard to have a sibling that you're not allowed to talk to."

It's a surprising confession, but it doesn't change anything.

"It was hard for me too, but you still listened to him. You're his puppet, you know that right?"

"I am not his puppet," Michael sneers, glaring at me.

He gets angry at the accusation, and somehow I even sense some disappointment in his brown eyes. I decide to brush it off as denial, because I know he's a replica if my father.

"Sure seems like it."

"It doesn't matter! That's not what I'm here for. Dad wants an apology from you for insulting the natural way of life. Something like that, anyway."

"As if he's getting anything like that out of me! I'm not sorry for anything!"

"He just wants an apology. I don't think you need to give any but it's dad so just give him what he wants."

I can't lie, the way that's just admitted that he doesn't believe in my father's orders is slightly comforting. Still, it frustrates me that he doesn't strep out of line. When it comes to our father, Michael has never done anything wrong.

"Tell father that he can go to hell," I boldly Michael.

"Like father would say, the only one that's going to hell is you for ruining the natural way of life."

"GET OUT!"

He realizes what he said, and quickly adds, "no, I'm sorry Adelina! Really, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that! I want things to get better between us and—"

"GET OUT ALREADY!"

"Fine, but next time, dad is the one that's going to give you a visit and he's not going to be so easy to get rid of."

With that, he rushes out of my bedroom, and I hear him loudly stomp down the stairs. My wooden door slams shut, and my mom follows the sound into my bedroom.

All I can focus on is that powerful threat.

Michael doesn't scare me, but my father does.

"I knew letting him in wasn't a good idea. I'm so sorry, Adelina."

I think my mom has always secretly hoped that these two people would change, but that ignorance has led to her making horrible choices at my expense. I decide not to comment on that, and I instead tell her, "it's okay. You didn't know what he wanted, but now you know to never let him or my father in."

"I won't let them come in. They're absolutely insane if they think they can get some sort of apology out of you," she tells me.

"I know," I simply tell her.

"Do you want some time alone or do you want to talk about it?"

"I'll just stay here alone. Thanks, mom."

I'm not sure if choosing to stay with the company of my obsessive mind is the wisest decision, but it's the one I'll be making anyway.

"No problem, honey."

With that, she leaves, closing my door quietly as I lay down again. I pull my pillow to my face, and I feel tears steam down my face in frustration.

Then, I scream.